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halogène

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Etymology and origin of the French word halogène

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1826 Berzelius, Annales de chimie et de physique More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἅλς

Pronunciation

  • /a.lɔ.ʒɛn/[1]

Forms

halogène m (plural halogènes)[1]

Etymology

It is a compound from French halo- + -gène, literally “salt-producer”, the first part being from Ancient Greek ἅλς (háls, “salt”).[2][3][4][5] The name was given by the Swedish chemist Berzelius, in whose memoir on sulpho-salts in the journal Annales de chimie et de physique it first appears in 1826;[2][6][5] the elements are so called because they form salts by combining with metals.[4][5] The English word halogen dates from 1842.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in 1826, is in the French version of Berzelius's memoir on sulpho-salts, as a chemical term.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The word stayed a term of chemistry, at first also as an adjective (corps halogènes) for the elements, such as chlorine, bromine and iodine, that give salts with metals.[4][6] About 1970 it entered everyday language through the lampe à halogène or simply halogène, a lamp whose light can be dimmed gradually, which became popular in interior decoration.[8][3] Its chemical derivatives halogénation (1930) and halogénure (1934) keep the scientific sense.[2][8]

Timeline

  • 1826 – Berzelius's memoir introduces the term.[2][8]
  • 1842 – English halogen is recorded.[5]
  • 1845 – Bescherelle's dictionary records it.[6]
  • 1930 – Halogénation is first recorded.[2]
  • 1934 – Halogénure is first recorded.[2]
  • c. 1970 – Halogène comes to mean a halogen lamp.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (chemistry) A halogen, any of the elements in the same group as chlorine: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astate.[2][3][9]
  2. A halogen lamp, whose gas contains a halogen and whose light can be adjusted: on a installé deux halogènes dans le salon.[3][10][9]

Adjective

  1. (chemistry) Belonging to the halogens: les corps halogènes.[4] Lampe à halogène or lampe halogène: a halogen lamp.[4][10][9]

Word family

  • halogénation
  • halogénure
  • halogéné

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Halogène.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/halog%C3%A8ne. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·